The Ministry of Health has engaged a high-level delegation from the Italian Government to push forward plans for the retooling of 37 selected public hospitals across Ghana, under a broader effort to enhance clinical service delivery nationwide.
The meeting, led by Health Minister Hon. Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, centered on discussions regarding a concessional loan agreement from the Government of Italy.
The loan will finance the provision of modern medical equipment to replace outdated tools in the targeted facilities — a project that began in 2021.
The retooling initiative aims to transform healthcare delivery by boosting diagnostic and treatment capabilities in public hospitals while contributing to a reduction in institutional mortality rates.
During the engagement, the Minister outlined the government’s broader priorities in the health sector, including the construction of six new regional hospitals in the newly created regions, the upgrading of existing regional hospitals, and the establishment of a 500-bed Children’s and Fertility Centre of Excellence.
Director General for Development Cooperation Stefano Gatti and Health Minister Mintah Akandoh
The Italian delegation, led by Director General for Development Cooperation Stefano Gatti, confirmed that all preparatory stages — including the Project’s Concept Notes, Pre-feasibility, and Feasibility Studies — have been successfully completed and endorsed by the Ministry of Finance.
Italian officials expressed their commitment to supporting the retooling project through concessional financing and noted their confidence in the initiative’s long-term impact on Ghana’s healthcare infrastructure.
The Ministry of Health believes that continued collaboration between the two governments will accelerate the project’s transition into the implementation phase, ensuring hospitals across the country are better equipped to deliver quality care.
Adrien Rabiot scored two headers as France secured a 3-1 victory over Italy at the San Siro, overtaking the Azzurri to win Nations League Group A2.
The Marseille midfielder opened the scoring by heading in Lucas Digne’s corner, giving Les Bleus an early lead. Aston Villa defender Digne later saw his free-kick hit the crossbar before deflecting in off Italy goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, doubling France’s advantage.
Italy, needing to lose by only one goal to remain top of the group, found a lifeline when Andrea Cambiaso scored with a cushioned volley. However, Rabiot sealed the win with an excellent header into the top corner from Digne’s pinpoint left-wing free-kick.
Both Rabiot and Digne marked their 50th international caps in the match.
Moise Kean nearly salvaged Italy’s top spot in stoppage time, but his effort was denied by France goalkeeper Mike Maignan. Reflecting on the game, Maignan said: “We were out for revenge. It was about pride after losing at home against them,” referring to Italy’s 3-1 victory at the Parc des Princes in September.
The defeat marked Italy’s biggest home loss in a competitive match since a 3-0 loss to Sweden in 1983.
France coach Didier Deschamps, who notably left Real Madrid star Kylian Mbappé out of the squad, praised his team’s performance. “We had a young squad,” he said. “I wanted to see a lot of players, and winning here against an Italian team who were full of confidence is a great performance.”
Both teams had already secured spots in the Nations League quarter-finals in March. France will head into the next stage as a seeded team, while Italy will not, following the group standings.
A former Juventus goalkeeper believesDavid de Gea is “struggling” at his new club, Fiorentina, after spending over a year away from first-team action.
The Spanish shot-stopper parted ways with Manchester United in the summer of 2023, bringing an end to his 12-year stint at Old Trafford.
After 14 months without a club, the 33-year-old joined Fiorentina this summer, but his return to football has been challenging. Now, former Genoa goalkeeper Rubinho has shared his thoughts on de Gea’s early performances with La Viola.
Rubinho told Radio Firenze Viola after a 0-0 draw with Empoli: “De Gea is still suffering from having been out for more than a year. But he has already helped Fiorentina a lot in these first games.
I think he can only grow further and show everyone the qualities he has. He is a top goalkeeper, and seeing him defend Fiorentina’s goal reminds me of when there were the likes of [Francesco] Toldo and [Sebastien] Frey.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wbg3ymd01M4
David de Gea has featured in five matches across all competitions this season, managing to secure one clean sheet so far.
Despite his involvement, teammate Pietro Terracciano has also had game time in goal for Raffaele Palladino’s squad, with the coach indicating that the competition for the starting goalkeeper position remains wide open.
He said in September: “There isn’t a hierarchy right now. I wanted to see De Gea and Terracciano to understand. I am happy with both. David hadn’t played for a year, so I preferred Terracciano. We’ll evaluate a few things in the coming days.”
After a lengthy absence from top-tier football,De Gea may be experiencing some rustiness. He will be aiming to secure a starting spot for Fiorentina when they face The New Saints in their Europa Conference League opener on Thursday evening.
If he doesn’t feature in that match, the former Manchester United goalkeeper could see action against AC Milan in their Serie A clash on Sunday night.
Salvatore “Toto” Schillaci, the former Italy forward renowned for his performance in the 1990 World Cup, has passed away at the age of 59.
The Palermo hospital, where he had been receiving treatment for colon cancer, confirmed his death in a statement on Wednesday.
Schillaci gained international acclaim during the 1990 World Cup held in Italy, where he made a significant impact by scoring six goals and earning the tournament’s golden boot.
Despite Italy’s third-place finish, Schillaci’s outstanding individual contributions were recognized as he was awarded the golden ball for being the best player of the tournament, surpassing notable figures such as Lothar Matthäus and Diego Maradona.
“A football icon is leaving us, a man who has entered the hearts of Italians and sports fans around the world,” Italy’s prime minister Giorgia Meloni posted on X.
“Salvatore Schillaci, known by everyone as Toto, the striker from the magic nights of Italia ’90 with our national team. Thanks for the emotions you gave us, for having made us dream, celebrate, embrace, and wave our national flag. Bon voyage, champion.”
Schillaci later added just one more goal to his international tally, which came against Norway the following year.
Hailing from Palermo, Schillaci also had a successful club career in Italy, with significant achievements at Juventus and Inter Milan.
“Palermo FC, with President Dario Mirri and the entire City Football Group family, express their deepest condolences for the premature passing of Salvatore Schillaci and join in the grief of Francesco Di Mariano’s family,” Palermo said in a statement.
During his club career, Schillaci secured a UEFA Cupand Coppa Italia with Juventus and later claimed another UEFA Cup with Inter Milan.
He concluded his playing days in Japan, where he achieved a J-League title with Jubilo Iwata in 1997.
In 2022, Schillaci was diagnosed with colon cancer and was hospitalized at Palermo Civico in early September.
“He made an entire nation dream during the Magic Nights of Italia ’90,” Inter said.
“FC Internazionale Milano gathers around the Schillaci family for the passing of Totò.”
France’s head coachDidier Deschamps affirmed on Sunday that he would continue with his planned squad rotations ahead of Monday’s Nations League match against Belgium in Lyon.
Despite a disappointing 3-1 defeat to Italy in Paris last Friday, Deschamps maintained that this loss would not affect his strategy to implement multiple lineup changes.
He emphasised that the pre-arranged adjustments would go ahead as scheduled, indicating his confidence in the approach.
“The six Nations League matches must be used to introduce new players and distribute playing time,” he told the pre-match press conference.
“If we had a different schedule and were playing World Cup qualifiers, I would not have chosen this course, that’s for sure. But I chose it because I believe that we have to go through it. I’m not going to change course.”
Following their first two Nations League matches, France will face Israel and Belgium next month before wrapping up their Group A2 campaign with fixtures against Israel and Italy in November.
Speaking after the Italy loss, where France took an early lead within 20 seconds but ultimately lost 3-1, Deschamps stated that he is seeking a strong response from his team.
He emphasised the importance of rebounding from the defeat as they move forward in the competition
“I can’t be satisfied with the match against Italy, nor can the players. Tomorrow is another game, another context, a different team with the same obligation,” he added.
“The course I have taken is to give as much playing time to as many players as possible. Whatever the playing time, there is always pressure, you have to perform as well as possible.”
Belgium, meanwhile, are still hurting after their Euro 2024 exit at the hands of France, with manager Dominic Tedesco feeling they showed them too much respect in their round-of-16 loss this summer in Düsseldorf, Germany.
“At the European Championship, it was a close one against France. We could have won too,” Tedesco said at a press conference on Sunday. “France were a bit better; they deserved to win, but we also had our chances.
It would be a lie if I said that match is forgotten; it still hurts. I often think about the European Championship,but you also must look ahead.”
Belgium began their campaign with a 3-1 win over Israel behind closed doors on Friday in Debrecen, Hungary, where they had switched the match for security reasons.
In a dramatic turn of events, Mattia Zaccagni scored a last-minute equalizer for Italy, securing a 1-1 draw against Croatia and ensuring the defending champions’ progression to the last 16 of Euro 2024.
The goal, coming in the final minute of stoppage time, shattered Croatia’s hopes of advancing from Group B.
Luka Modric, the Croatian captain, had appeared to be the hero for his team when he hammered a shot into the roof of the net early in the second half, recovering quickly from the disappointment of seeing his earlier penalty saved.
His goal had Croatia on the brink of securing a spot in the knockout stages as group runners-up.
However, in a cruel twist, Italy found an equalizer deep into stoppage time. Zaccagni’s curling shot in the 98th minute leveled the score and ensured Italy’s progression alongside group winners Spain. The late goal left Croatia with just two points, likely insufficient for them to advance as one of the best third-placed teams.
Italian journalist Francesco Repice gives Modric an amazing tribute in what is likely his last match for Croatia in his career 👏🇭🇷
The result sets up a last-16 clash between Italy and Switzerland on Saturday, June 29. Meanwhile, the Croatian players were left devastated at the final whistle, collapsing to the ground as their fans stood in stunned disbelief at the turn of events.
Croatia, 2018 World Cup finalists, had struggled throughout the tournament. They were decisively beaten by Spain and held to a draw by Albania, entering the match against Italy as underdogs. Despite this, they started strongly and had Italy on the back foot for much of the game.
Modric’s goal, following his missed penalty, ignited hope among Croatian supporters. The 38-year-old showed resilience, driving a shot into the net moments after his penalty save, sending Croatian fans into raptures. Croatia managed the game well after taking the lead but failed to hold off Italy in the dying moments.
The draw raises questions about the future of Croatia’s veteran stars, including Modric, who are now in their mid to late 30s. For Italy, the draw represents a continuation of their roller-coaster tournament. After narrowly overcoming Albania in their opener and losing to Spain, coach Luciano Spalletti made several changes for this crucial match.
Despite not being at their best, Italy showed resilience and persistence, ultimately earning the draw that guaranteed their place in the knockout stages. Italian fans celebrated long after the final whistle, hopeful that this dramatic equalizer will be the spark their team needs to ignite a successful campaign at Euro 2024.
As Italy prepares to face Switzerland, they will look to build on this momentum, aiming to recapture the form that saw them crowned champions at Euro 2020.
A sixty-year old man is reported to have pushed his wife to death at Konongo, Ashanti Region.
Identified only as Oboy (60), he is reported to have been living and working in Italy but after his exhibiting of symptoms of a mental sickness returned from Italy with his wife.
He is reported to have pushed his wife causing her to fall on her back and hitting her occiput on the hard floor which led to the loss of her life.
The 60-year old man called his children abroad to inform him of what he had done. The children in turn called some relatives who checked in on them and met the deceased Mercy Durowaa (56) lying lifeless in a pool of blood.
A tweet shared by @eddie_wrt captures a mob hauling the 60-year old man at the trunk of a white pick-up.
The Konongo District Police Command in the Ashanti Region has arrested a 60-year-old man, identified only as Oboy, for allegedly murd£ring his 56-year-old wife, Mercy Durowaa, at Konongo Zongo.
The suspect, according to sources, once lived and worked in Italy when he encountered… pic.twitter.com/QUH3SrNJH6
Per the caption, the Konongo District Police Command have arrested Oboy and investigations are still underway.
“The Konongo District Police Command in the Ashanti Region has arrested a 60-year-old man, identified only as Oboy, for allegedly murd£ring his 56-year-old wife, Mercy Durowaa, at Konongo Zongo.
The suspect, according to sources, once lived and worked in Italy when he encountered a mental illness, forcing him and his wife to return to Ghana. The police suspect he pushed his wife,causing her occiput to h!t the floor.
According to reports, after k!lling his wife, he called their children who live abroad and informed them of the incident. The children then contacted some relatives in Konongo, alerting them about the situation.
The relatives, together with authorities, accessed the house on Thursday morning and discovered the wife in a pool of blood” the tweet read.
Spain triumphed over Italy with a narrow 1-0 win in their second Euro 2024 group stage match, largely thanks to the exceptional play of Nico Williams.
The Spanish-born Ghanaian winger earned Man of the Match honors after completing 27 of his 29 passes (93%), making four key passes, and delivering the decisive cross that led to an Italian own goal.
Under De la Fuente’s guidance, Spain dominated the game, with Williams consistently troubling the Italian defense.
He generated one significant scoring opportunity, made eight touches in the Italian penalty area, and successfully completed four dribbles.
Additionally, Williams delivered three precise crosses and won five ground duels.
The game’s lone goal occurred in the second half when Riccardo Calafiori, attempting to clear a Williams cross, mistakenly directed the ball into his own net.
This victory bolsters Spain’s chances of progressing to the knockout rounds, with a final group match against Albania on the horizon.
Williams’ standout performance against Italy continues his recent run of impressive form for Spain.
The 21-year-old has cemented his role as a crucial player for De la Fuente’s squad and appearsset to significantly impact Spain’s Euro 2024 campaign.
Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has embarked on an official visit to the Republic of Italy and the Vatican State.
A statement issued by spokesperson Dr. Gideon Boako indicated that the Vice President will engage in bilateral discussions with His Holiness Pope Francis.
“The Pope’s message of love, mercy, and inclusive, which he has devoted himself to promoting unity and mutual understanding between all peoples, has been embraced around the world.
“The meeting will highlight our common principles of peace, justice, and solidarity to guide us into a better future,” he added.
Amanda Knox is facing another trial in Italy for making negative comments about someone.If she wins this case, it will clear her name and she won’t have any more legal problems from the past. This is happening 8 years after she was found not guilty of killing her British roommate.
Knox was a 20-year-old student when she was accused of murder. Now she lives in the United States and works as an advocate, writer, podcaster and producer, drawing on her past experiences.
Now 36 years old and a mother of two young children, Knox works to change the criminal justice system and educate people about coerced confessions. She made a series about being strong for a meditation app and has a podcast with her husband. She also has a new series coming out on Hulu about her experiences with the Italian legal system, with Monica Lewinsky as a producer.
In 2015, Italy’s highest court said Knox and her then-boyfriend did not commit the crime. Another man was convicted instead. But some people still have doubts about Knox and the person she accused.
This is mainly because the person was found guilty of wrongly accusing a bar owner in Congo of a murder. The highest court confirmed this in 2015. In November last year, a European court decided that Knox’s rights were violated when she was questioned for a long time without a lawyer and translator. This decision changed the previous conviction.
Even now, Knox is not sure that being found not guilty in the new trial, which starts on Wednesday in Florence, will change the minds of her critics.
“I am happy to have the chance to clear my name and hopefully get rid of the bad reputation I’ve been living with,” said Knox on her podcast Labyrinths in December. She did not respond to an interview request.
“She said she doesn’t know if it will ever get better because she is still very affected by it. ” “I think people will always blame me because they don’t want to understand what happened, and they don’t want to believe that someone innocent can be manipulated and forced into the situation I experienced. ”
Knox said on her podcast that she plans to speak in court, but her lawyer said she won’t be there for the first day of the trial.
Francesco Maresca, the lawyer for the Kercher family, said the high court’s decision to clear Knox didn’t change his doubts about her conviction by three different courts. The first court gave her a 26-year sentence and the second court raised it to 28 1/2 years.
“This trial never seems to stop,” Maresca told The Associated Press, suggesting that Meredith’s memory is overshadowed by legal details instead of her life as a student and young woman.
Maresca mentioned that Knox changed her mind about accusing Lumumba and the court ruling says Guede did not act alone in killing Kercher.
Guede is now 36 years old. He was let out of jail in 2021 after being there for 13 years. He was given a 16-year sentence in a quick trial. Guede has to wear a bracelet that tracks him and stay at home at night because his ex-girlfriend says he hurt her. We are still looking into it.
Knox’s new trial will only consider one piece of evidence: her four-page handwritten statement. The court will check if the statement contains anything that could be used to accuse Lumumba of slander. Even though he had a strong reason for not being at the scene, he was kept in jail for about two weeks before the police let him go. Lumumba has gone away from Italy.
She wrote a four-page letter during a 53-hour period when she was questioned for four days in November. She is confused and trying to make sense of what the police told her and what she remembers.
“In regards to what I said last night, I want to make it clear that I’m not sure if it’s true. I was feeling stressed, shocked, and very tired when I said it. “
She talked about the police saying she would be arrested and put in jail for 30 years, and that Sollecito was no longer on her side.
Lauria Baldassare, an Italian lawyer who started the Innocents Project, said that more people are starting to worry about innocent people being convicted in Italy.
He mentioned 10 times when people who were wrongly found guilty got money for it in the last 10 years. But he also said that they had a hard time getting rid of the shame of being called guilty at first, just like Knox.
“Some people still don’t agree with the Court’s decision, and these arguments are like a game,” said Baldassare, who works for an organization not connected to the Innocence Project Knox is involved with. Italy is not able to accept being found not guilty because people’s biases are stronger than the truth.
The Garisenda tower was built 800 years ago in the city’s busy period, but it started leaning two hundred years later. Today, it is leaning at a 4-degree angle, slightly more than the Pisa tower’s 3. 9-degree slant
A few months ago, the streets near Garisenda were closed for a while so that scientists could watch and check for any signs of the building starting to move or break. They found that it was likely to collapse soon.
The mayor of Bologna, Matteo Lepore, said on Wednesday that they will use pylons, cables, and steel scaffolding to keep the tower in Pisa from falling apart. “We will be able to make sure the tower is safe,” Lepore said at a press conference. He said that it could allow the Asinelli Tower, a taller building next to the Garisenda Tower, to open again for people to visit.
“In 2025 and 2026, more work will be done to fix and restore things, but the details are not yet decided,” Lepori said.
Fame for writing.
The mayor said it will take “about six months” to adjust the equipment from the Tower of Pisa to Garisenda. The whole safety operation will cost around 19 million euros (about US$20 million).
Once the two steel support structures in Pisa are set up and adjusted to fit Garisenda, the tower’s bricks will be strengthened. This includes adding a special kind of mortar that matches the original construction. This information comes from a press release from the city.
First, the cables that connect the big poles to the scaffolding on the tower will be pulled tight. This will help lower the amount of stress at the bottom of the tower.
The Torre Garisenda in Bologna is not as famous as the one in Pisa, but it’s still a popular spot for tourists to visit. It was mentioned in a famous poem from the 14th century. The taller Torre degli Asinelli is also a popular attraction for tourists, but it leans less than the other tower.
The Leaning Tower of Pisa, which is a famous building in a special place that UNESCO says is important, leaned at an angle of 4. 5 degrees in the early 1990s. People were worried the structure might fall down, so people from different countries worked together for eight years starting in 1993 to make sure it stayed standing.
Today the bell tower is a strong landmark because of the steel pylons. This will hopefully help the Garisenda tower last longer.
Julio Andres Murillo Figueroa, who also goes by the name Tsar, is being looked for because he is involved in moving cocaine from Colombia to Europe.
He is believed to be a significant figure in a group that distributed illegal items to the Italian mafia, including the Ndrangheta, as well as the Mocro Mafia in the Netherlands. European law enforcement has been paying attention to the Tsar because they found 1,623 kilos of cocaine on a ship off the coast of Huelva, Spain in 2021.
The Spanish police said that Murillo Figueroa had worked with a leader of the Medellin Cartel in the 80s and 90s.
He went back to his home country when his friend was caught in 2022.
His time in charge ended quietly. The police recognized him by the way he walked while taking his dog to the vets in Cucuta.
The police said that they were able to figure out who he was because he often went to the doctor for help with his mobility and used a walking stick, and he also went to the vet often for his dog.
But then H1 disappeared again, before he was seen at another big house in Antioquia, worth about£1. 5million, where he was spotted sometimes walking his dog near a private lake.
Pablo Escobar became very rich by leading a big drug operation that went from Colombia to 12 other countries.
Biden told European leaders that the U.S will support them. Ukraine’s leader still needs to get approval for extra money from the US. The aid package includes $60 billion for Ukraine, $35 billion for Israel, and Taiwan. The new law was approved by the Senate, but the Speaker of the House, who is a Republican named Mike Johnson, doesn’t want to bring it up for a vote.
Prior to Meloni’s visit, the White House officials said they don’t have good answers for friends about ending the disagreement with House Republicans and giving aid to Kyiv. This aid is really important because Ukraine is trying to defend itself from Russia’s invasion.
However, White House spokesperson Olivia Dalton said it’s clear that this is affecting not only our country’s safety, but also the safety of our friends in other countries.
Biden and other important politicians asked Johnson to approve the foreign aid package, but Johnson said Congress needs to focus on helping America first.
Biden and Meloni are meeting for the second time in about seven months, on Friday. Both leaders are dealing with fighting in the Middle East and Europe and trying to improve their popularity with the public.
Biden is getting ready to face Donald Trump again in November. Trump is expected to be the Republican candidate. Biden wants to be president again, but some people worry he is too old at 81. Some Democrats are also upset with how he dealt with the Israel-Hamas war, and not everyone is happy with how the American economy is doing.
Surveys show that Meloni’s right-wing Brothers of Italy Party got a lot of votes in 2022 and is still very popular in Italy, but its support has gone down in the past year. Her group had a problem this week because the person she supported in the Sardinia regional elections didn’t win.
Meloni will see if people still like her in four more local elections and the election for European parliament in June 2024.
Gianluca Pastori, an expert at the ISPI think tank in Milan, said that Meloni and Biden are both having problems for different reasons. This meeting can show the public that there is a strong relationship with allies that are seen as important.
Meloni went to Kyiv last week to lead a meeting with the Group of Seven leaders and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The meeting was held on the second anniversary of Russia’s invasion. The leaders of Belgium, Canada, and the EU Commission went to Kyiv with Meloni. Biden and other leaders joined them through a video call. In January, Italy started leading the G7 group for one year.
During her recent visit to Kyiv, Meloni confirmed that Italy will continue to support Ukraine and signed a agreement to help Ukraine with security and military assistance until the end of the year. Italy is also dedicated to helping Ukraine rebuild old buildings and structures.
The Biden administration was worried when Meloni became the leader of Italy’s first far-right government since World War II ended. However, both of them agree on supporting Ukraine. When Meloni visited Washington in July, Biden praised her and Italy for their support to Kyiv.
The leaders planned to discuss how the U. S, Egypt, and Qatar are trying to make Israel and Hamas stop fighting, Italy’s plans for leading the G7, people coming to Italy from North Africa, and how their countries deal with China.
Biden said earlier this week that he thinks a cease-fire deal could be made by next week. But he said that a potential agreement might have been delayed because Israeli soldiers shot at a big group of Palestinians who were trying to get food from a delivery of aid in Gaza City. More than 100 people died.
Meloni was very upset and worried about the incident.
“It is very important for Israel to understand what is happening and who is to blame,” Meloni said. She also called for more talks to stop the fighting and to free the hostages.
Meloni is going to Canada to meet with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Saturday.
Parish priest of San Nicola di Pannanconi near Vibo Valentia in southern Italy, Father Felice Palamara, narrowly avoided consuming bleach during a church service.
The latest episode in a series of threats and intimidation against him has prompted a police investigation.
Father Palamara, about to partake in Holy Communion, detected the strong scent of cleaning product in the chalice just in time to avert a potential tragedy.
The police were summoned, and subsequent examination revealed the chalice contained a lethal amount of bleach.
This incident follows a pattern of threats and attacks on Father Palamara, including vandalised cars and numerous death threats.
Detectives are exploring connections between this latest attack and a similar bizarre incident involving another local priest, Father Francesco Pontoriero, who discovered a dead cat in his car.
Both priests have received numerous death threats, prompting authorities to examine potential links and review CCTV footage from the respective churches.
While the motive behind the attacks remains unclear, an investigative source suggests various possibilities, including organised crime, local mafia involvement, or individuals harbouring grudges against the church.
Father Palamara, resilient in the face of adversity, expressed his commitment to love and forgiveness in a note to his parishioners.
In response to the escalating threats, police have assigned round-the-clock protection to Father Palamara, who remains determined to maintain a positive outlook amid the challenges.
Local bishop Attilio Nostro condemned the acts as incompatible with Christian values and calls on the community to resist being swayed by violence and hatred, advocating for a response grounded in love and dialogue.
All three were in good spirits and were slated to head back to Rome in the near future. The family were Jehovah’s Witnesses and they were planning to start a church when they were taken from their home near the town of Koutiala.
The statement didn’t say anything else about how they were released.
The family lived in an area where there were a lot of terrorists, and the kidnappings were done by a group connected to al-Qaeda.
The couple are said to be in their 60s and their son is in his 40s.
Mali has had a big problem with violence for more than ten years. Sometimes,groups of fighters capture people from other countries and ask for money or the release of their friends in exchange for letting them go.
The country kicked out French troops and UN peacekeepers and asked Russia’s Wagner group for help in fighting the jihadists, but the fighting is not stopping.
A distressing video circulating on social media showcases the plight of Kwame Kusi, a Ghanaian man stranded in Palermo, Italy.
Once described as a handsome, fair-skin individual back in Ghana, Kwame’s friend now paints a grim picture of his current deplorable condition in Italy.
In an urgent plea, a concerned friend, who wishes to remain unnamed, is reaching out to fellow Ghanaians, especially those from Berekum and Brong Ahafo, to come to Kwame’s aid before his situation worsens.
Kwame is seeking €350 to fund his return to Ghana.
Expressing deep concern, the friend asserted, “The guy is called Kwame Kusi, he has stayed in Italy for so long, his condition is deplorable. I plead with Ghanaians to come to the aid of this gentleman; he needs it.
“He looked well when he was in Ghana, but now his state is sad. He needs help. I am pleading with Ghanaians, people from Berekum and Brong Ahafo to help this man return to Ghana. He is in Palermo, Italy, so please come to his aid.”
Watch video below:
Another Ghanaian man is stranded in Italy despite living there for many years. According to his fellow Ghanaian brother who met him on the streets, he is from a royal family in Berekum and has known him for many years. Additionally, the man insisted that he only needs €350 to… pic.twitter.com/Apxv3UNP1r
Italy’s Data Protection Authority (DPA) looked into a situation and found that there were privacy problems with how data was being handled. However, it didn’t say exactly what the problems were.
The chatbot started in 2022 and needs a lot of information from the internet to work.
Italy has strongly supported protecting data when it comes to ChatGPT.
It was the first country in the Western region to stop the product in March 2023 because they were worried about people’s privacy.
ChatGPT was allowed again about four weeks later, after saying it had fixed the problems the DPA had brought up.
Italy’s data protection authority started an investigation and found that there have been privacy breaches.
In a statement, the DPA said that they found evidence showing that there were violations of the rules in the EU GDPR.
Under the EU’s GDPR law, companies that don’t follow the rules can be fined up to 4% of their total income.
Italy’s Data Protection Authority (DPA) is working with the European Union’s European Data Protection Board to keep an eye on ChatGPT. They created a special team to do this in April 2023.
When ChatGPT was allowed again in Italy in April 2023, the Italian regulator told the BBC that they were happy with the changes OpenAI made, but they wanted even more rules to be followed.
A person speaking for the company said they want to do more to check people’s ages and tell Italians about their right to not have their personal information used for training computers.
An OpenAI representative said they would keep talking with the regulator.
OpenAI is closely connected to the big company Microsoft, which has put a lot of money into it.
Microsoft has added AI to its Bing search engine and to its Office 365 apps like Word, Teams, and Outlook.
A minister in Italy has been accused of having and showing a stolen painting from the 1600s, but he says it’s not true.
The newest claims against a member of Italy’s government focus on Vittorio Sgarbi, who is a well-known art critic.
Mr Sgarbi is being investigated for hiding stolen things after putting the painting in a show in 2021.
In 2013, “The Capture of Saint Peter” was stolen.
Rutilio Manetti, a painter who followed Baroque style like Caravaggio, used to have his painting shown in a castle in northern Italy, in Piedmont.
Mr Sgarbi, who is on TV and has a history of using bad language and lying about people, is accused of changing the painting by putting a candle in the corner to hide where it came from.
The politician said he discovered the job while renovating a house his mother bought over twenty years ago. He says the painting is the real one, but the one that was stolen in 2013 was just a fake.
The accusations were found in a report by the TV show ‘Report’ on the Italian channel Rai. The person who owns the castle said that the painting was stolen in 2013. She also mentioned that one of Mr. Sgarbi’s friends had come to see the property before and wanted to buy the art piece.
The report also said that a friend of the politician gave a damaged painting called “The Capture of Saint Peter” to someone who fixes paintings later. It was said that the hole had the same shape as a piece of the canvas that was cut out of the Piedmont castle frame in 2013.
In 2021, Mr Sgarbi showed the restored painting with a candle added in the top corner.
The junior minister is being accused of owning an expensive painting by a French artist. The painting, worth €5m, was taken by police in Montecarlo. Mr Sgarbi is being looked into by a lawyer for sending the painting out of the country unlawfully. He said that it is a copy and that he did not own it. The BBC tried to talk to Mr Sgarbi, but he didn’t answer.
Other political parties want Mr. Sgarbi to be fired. The Five Star Movement will propose a motion in parliament to remove him from his position.
The Italian government is embarrassed again because a member of the ruling party is being investigated for bringing a gun to a New Year’s Eve party and accidentally shooting someone. Emanuele Pozzolo says he didn’t shoot the gun, but the Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, has stopped him from working for now.
MsMeloni’s political party, Brothers of Italy, is doing well in the polls and her alliance with other right-wing parties seems strong at the moment.
Before the European elections in June, all parties will try to take advantage of any weaknesses or opportunities they can find. She has already publicly argued with her coalition partner Matteo Salvini.
This year, politics in Italy could become even more unpleasant. The prime minister wants to avoid having three scandals happening at the same time.
“A society that wants to be considered civilised cannot allow or tolerate these repeated attacks on women and murders,” he said. He also said that society’s failure to prevent violence against women is unacceptable.
The Italian interior ministry says 106 women have been killed in the country this year, and 55 of them were killed by their partner or ex-partner.
The protests are happening because people are very angry and upset about the murder of a 22-year-old student named Ms Cecchettin. She was studying biomedical engineering at the University of Padua and was supposed to graduate last week.
Several activities were scheduled for the day, such as marches, races, walks, surprise gatherings, protests, and even free gynecological check-ups to bring attention to violence against women and male dominance in Italy.
Mr Cecchettin’s dad, Gino Cecchettin, spoke to students at the University of Padua and showed a red bench in memory of women who have been hurt or killed by violence.
He said that even though we can’t bring Giulia back, he wants to inspire many good things to happen because of her death.
Ms Cecchettin went missing on November 11th when she and Filippo Turetta went to buy her graduation clothes.
The couple went missing, but later video from a security camera showed Mr. Turetta, who is 22 years old, hitting his ex-girlfriend in a parking lot near her home in Vigonovo, close to Venice. This is according to the judge who is investigating the case.
Turetta was caught by the police near Leipzig in Germany after they searched for him all over the world.
He came back to Italy on Saturday afternoon and has not been officially accused of any crime yet.
According to the news from Corriere del Veneto, he is in jail in Verona, and a first court meeting is planned for Tuesday.
Giorgia Meloni, the first woman to become prime minister of Italy, is very upset about the many cases of violence against women by their partners or ex-partners in the country’s history.
She said she will start a new program in schools to fight against the continued problem of violence against women in Italy.
The trade in technical goods between Ghana and Italy experienced a significant surge of 30%, reaching a total of 90 million Euros in 2022.
Italian Ambassador to Ghana and Togo, H.E. Daniela d’Oriandi, highlighted that this notable growth indicates an increasing number of Ghanaian companies seeking solutions from Italy.
“We invest in innovation, training, provide technical assistance, and out products are reliable, and there are many initiatives to promote the trade between Ghana and Italy,” she emphasized.
Italian Ambassador to Ghana and Togo, H.E. Daniela d’Oriandi
The revelation was shared by the Italian Ambassador during the 6th International Trade Show for West Africa agrofood and West Africa Plastprintpack conference and exhibition held in Accra on Tuesday, November 21, 2023.
Organized in collaboration by the AHK Delegation of German Industry and Commerce in Ghana and Fairtrade Messe, the event seeks to enhance Ghana’s self-sufficiency and enhance its supply capabilities.
In his opening statements, Mr. Paul März, Managing Director of Fairtrade, highlighted that Ghana, with an approximate population of nearly 40 million, represents a substantial food market. He emphasized that the country’s expenditure in the food and beverage sector is consistently increasing and stands as the “largest segment of the Ghanaian processing industry.”
The World Trade Organization (WTO) estimates that in 2021, Ghana will import food worth US$1.2 billion and export food worth US$1.7 billion.
“Thus, food trade with Ghana is a US$8.5 billion business,” he stressed.
Ghana’s investment in food and packaging technology shows an annual growth of 8.6% between 2017 and 2022, from 59 million Euros in 2017 to 89 million Euros in 2022.
The Exhibition
This year the organizers have succeeded in bringing exhibitors from over 12 countries and hope to establish business relationships among the various companies during the exhibition.
Mr. März announced that two industry awards will be presented during the exhibition and this will be led by the Chamber of Agribusiness Ghana.
He also mentioned that there’s a subsidized package for agricultural machinery.
The major participants in this year’s show are the Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA), GIZ AgriBiz and more.
In total, some 70 exhibitors from 12 countries are presenting products, technologies and solutions specifically tailored for the Ghanaian and West African markets.
The exhibitors are from Ghana, Austria, China, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, South Africa, Nigeria, Poland, Thailand and Ukraine.
This year, the organizers have successfully gathered exhibitors from over 12 countries, aiming to foster business relationships among the participating companies during the exhibition.
Mr. März announced the presentation of two industry awards during the exhibition, led by the Chamber of Agribusiness Ghana. Additionally, he highlighted a subsidized package for agricultural machinery.
Key participants in this year’s show include the Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA), GIZ AgriBiz, and others.
In total, approximately 70 exhibitors from 12 countries are showcasing products, technologies, and solutions specifically tailored for the Ghanaian and West African markets.
The participating countries include Ghana, Austria, China, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, South Africa, Nigeria, Poland, Thailand, and Ukraine.
An Italian court has decided that over 200 people from a crime group will go to prison for a total of 2,200 years. This comes after the biggest mafia trial in Italy in 30 years.
The trial started in January 2021 in a special building in a town in southern Italy. Over 400 lawyers helped the people accused of a crime, and about 900 witnesses gave information in the trial.
Three judges decided the fate of 338 accused people on Monday, after thinking about it since the trial ended on October 16. According to the Italian news outlet Ansa, the court took one hour and 40 minutes to announce its decisions.
207 criminals went to jail and more than 100 were set free. The person was given five life sentences and three sentences that last 30 years each.
42 women were tried for mafia crimes, which was a record. 39 of them were found guilty.
Lots of people who are accused had funny names like “The Wolf,” “Fatso,” “Sweetie,” and “Lamb Thigh. ” These names were heard on about 24,000 recorded phone calls, as said in the trial.
The people found guilty are a former member of Forza Italia named Giancarlo Pittelli, former police chief Giorgio Naselli, former financial police officer Michele Marinaro, former mayor Gianluca Callipo, and former regional councilors Luigi Incarnato and Pietro Giamborino. CNN saw the document that shows this information.
The gangsters were connected to an Italian crime group called ‘Nrangheta and were found guilty of working with the mafia, forcing people to give them money, offering bribes, and committing five murders.
The trial was called the Rinascita Scott, named after a United States special agent named Scott W. Sieben found connections between Colombia’s drug cartels and the ‘Ndrangheta.
The ‘Ndrangheta is a very powerful mafia group from Italy. It is based in Calabria, in the south of the country. The Italian DIA says it has thousands of members and affiliates all over the world.
The three judges had been living with police looking after them for almost three years during the trial.
Scholarship Amount: Full Tuition Fee and Monthly Stipend of $1000
Eligible Degrees: AFAM, Master’s, PhD
The Italian government consistently endeavours to make its education system accessible to international students. One notable initiative is theItalian Government Scholarships for Foreign Students, among the premier Italian scholarships for international students.
Introduced by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, these programs aim to provide support to students from various parts of the world, particularly those facing financial challenges.
This scholarship in Italy is strategically designed to enhance international cooperation across technological, cultural, and scientific domains.
Available to eligible international students enrolled in Italian universities, the scholarships cover partial or full tuition fees based on the number of qualified students and their academic merit.
Additionally, recipients receive monthly allowances, totaling approximately $1000, disbursed on a quarterly basis. Before initiating the application process, you can verify the eligibility of your country on the scholarship page.
2. University of Bologna Study Grants for International Students
Scholarship Amount: $13,000 Grants and Tuition Fee Waivers
Eligible Degrees: Bachelor’s, Master’s
Several universities in Italy provide institutional financial aid to eligible students. One such example is the University of Bologna, which offers study grants to students meeting the qualification criteria. Some students may also be eligible for full tuition waivers throughout the duration of their current programs, applicable to First, Single, or Second Cycle Degree Programmes at the University of Bologna.
To qualify for this scholarship in Italy, it is essential to possess academic qualification documents that meet the requirements of the selected course. Ensure that all necessary documents are ready by the time of registration. Additionally, only individuals who have not previously benefited from this grant are eligible. For further information and a comprehensive guide on the application process, visit the official scholarship website.
3. Padua International Excellence Scholarship Programme
Scholarship Amount: Tuition Fee Waiver and $9,000 Annual Stipend
Eligible Degrees: Bachelor’s, Master’s
As one of the premier universities in Italy, the University of Padua is dedicated to fostering the growth of its international community. In line with this commitment, the institution has established a scholarship program offering 50 scholarships to highly promising students seeking to pursue a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree. All courses are conducted in English, making this scholarship opportunity accessible to a wide pool of eligible international students.
Given the substantial number of applicants, the competition for these scholarships is intense. Due to its high level of selectivity, students with exceptional achievements and outstanding academic records will be chosen for this award. The maximum duration of the scholarship for Bachelor’s degrees is approximately three years, while for Master’s degree candidates, it is around two years.
Also offered by the University of Padua, Regione Veneto Scholarships were established for students who came from low-income families. In order to be considered for this scholarship, eligible applicants must first be admitted into one of the programs offered by the University of Padua, and they also must be eligible to obtain an Italian visa, which is an ideal requirement for an international applicant.
To accommodate as many students as they can, the scholarship award mainly depends on your family income, which means that a low family income means high financial aid. Even though the duration of this scholarship is only one year, scholarship recipients renew their scholarship duration by meeting the renewal requirements.
Scholarship Amount: 50% or Full Tuition Fee Waiver
Eligible Degree: Bachelor’s, Master’s
Another university with a program(s) geared towards improving the welfare of international students is the University of Bocconi. It has two popular programs for international students. Merit Awards, for one, cover full tuition fee costs for those who meet the requirements. Undergraduate students who are beneficiaries of these awards receive up to $14,500, while graduates can receive up to $15,700.
It’s worth noting, though, that the acceptance rate of those who apply for this scholarship is very low. This can be attributed to the huge amount of funds awarded to each beneficiary. Nevertheless, you always have a chance of being considered provided you meet the minimum requirements set by the university.
Are you a student in the fields of Engineering and Architecture? Consider Politecnico di Torino as your potential destination. The institution provides Italian scholarships for international students interested in their programs. There are five distinct scholarship projects available at the institution.
For example, the Alta Scuola Politecnica targets talented international students interested in the Master of Science programs. The COLFUTURO scholarships are specifically designed for Colombian students enrolled in Engineering and Architecture programs at the Master of Science and Ph.D. levels. Additional scholarship opportunities include the Eni Project (Petroleum Engineering), TOPoliTo, and Invest Your Talent in Italy. For more details on each of these programs, visit the official scholarship page.
Italy’s Agriculture Minister Francesco Lollobrigida said that Italy is the first country in the world to be safe from the dangers of fake food that can harm society and the economy.
There were protests both in favor and against the ban when parliament voted.
At one time, there was a fight between farmers and some MPs.
The leader of the Coldiretti farmers’ group, Ettore Prandini, argued with two politicians from the More Europe party. He called them “criminals” for not supporting the ban on lab-grown meat and said their signs were against science and Italy.
One of the politicians, Benedetto Della Vedova, said he was a troublemaker. The middle-of-the-road politicians asked the farmers’ group to say sorry, and the head of the lower house of parliament said that disagreements should never turn into violence.
Breaking the law could result in a fine of €60,000 (£52,000).
Right now, the law won’t do much because lab-grown meat is only allowed to be sold for people to eat in Singapore and the US.
The EU has not approved lab-grown meat, also known as “novel foods”, yet. But if it does, Italy’s new law might be questioned by the European Commission.
In September, Wolfgang Gelbmann from the European Food Safety Authority said that they hadn’t received any proposal for approval yet.
“In Europe, we do not have those products for sale yet. ” Because regulators, the European Commission, and member states see them as new foods that need to be checked for safety by Efsa, approved by member states and the European Commission.
The new law is a win for Italy’s agriculture minister. He promised a year ago to stop fake food from being served in Italy. He thanked the MPs for supporting the new law, which was created because of a request from the Coldiretti lobby group.
“We are protecting our food and how we get it by keeping the connection between food, land, and the work people do to get it. This has been happening for thousands of years,” said Mr. Lollobrigida on Italian TV.
We need to keep our workers, farmers, and people who deserve to eat good food safe. Lollobrigida is in the prime minister’s far-right Brothers of Italy party and has praised Italy’s tradition of food and wine.
However, Professor Elena Cattaneo, a lifelong senator and expert in bioscience, criticized the petition. She said it was a very emotional and simplistic leaflet that portrayed natural food as good and lab-grown food as bad, made from “crazy cells in bioreactors”.
The law says you can’t make fake meat from animal cells unless you don’t hurt the animal. And you can’t use meat words on plant-based food labels.
Critics say lab-grown meat is not fake because it is made by growing natural cells without changing their genes.
The law is not good for animal welfare groups. They think that lab-made meat can help the environment by reducing carbon emissions.
A man has gone to court to decide if he will be sent back to Italy after being accused of killing a woman.
Michele Faiers, who was 66 years old, was discovered dead in her house close to the town of Casoli in Italy on Wednesday.
Michael Whitbread was taken into custody in Shepshed, a town in Leicestershire, later on the same day.
The 74-year-old person went to a meeting on Saturday that was organized to decide if they should be sent to another country.
Mr Whitbread was asked if he agreed to be sent back to Italy, where he currently resides, in the Westminster Magistrates’ Court.
He said he didn’t do it, and he was told to come to court on Thursday.
The court was informed that the retired driving instructor and shop owner is currently in England visiting family and has a ticket to go back to Italy. The judge, John Zani, said that this is just a claim and Mr. Whitbread has not been found guilty of anything yet.
To Mr Whitbread, he said: “The Italian government wants you to come back and go to court there because they accuse you of something very serious.
If you are found guilty, you will most likely receive a long prison sentence.
“I must acknowledge that you came here not long after the accusation of murder was made a few days ago. ”
The judge said that the court will have a complete hearing at the same place on 26 February next year.
Many parts of Tuscany have experienced flooding because of strong winds and rain. This has caused five deaths and a number of people are still missing.
Cars were taken away by a flood in the River Bisenzio, and people had to go on top of roofs to get away from the heavy rain.
Four hospitals were filled with water, some people were unable to move their cars in underground tunnels and the western coastline experienced strong waves.
Storm Ciarán has led to over 12 deaths in parts of Western Europe.
Earlier, very strong winds were recorded in the north-west coast of France. The storm also caused a lot of wind and damage in southern England, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany. It also affected the Atlantic coast of Spain and Portugal.
A tree fell down in Belgium, and sadly a five-year-old child was killed along with another person.
The electric wires fell and it caused a big problem for transportation. People had to leave their homes on the Channel Island of Jersey.
The storm arrived in Tuscany on Thursday night. The governor of the region, Eugenio Giani, said it was an emergency because the winds were very strong at 140km/h.
Livorno, which is a town by the coast, as well as the towns of Prato and Montemurlo near Florence, were some of the places that were hit the hardest. The mayor of Prato, Matteo Biffoni, said that the events that occurred overnight were extremely upsetting. Floods happened and many areas were underwater. The ground floor of Santo Stefano hospital in town got partially flooded.
The waves on the west coast were very strong, reaching a height of 3. 5 meters Milan experienced flooding again, for the second time in one week, just three days after the River Seveso overflowed.
The storm also caused problems in the northeastern part of Veneto, where one person is not found, and the Governor Luca Zaia said that it rained 160mm for a whole day.
In the eastern part, Slovenia and Croatia had severe weather warnings. Weather experts predicted strong winds, hail, and thunderstorms. In Slovenia, authorities warned about one of the most powerful cyclones in the last decade.
Italy’s prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, who values her family above all else, has ended her relationship with her partner, a TV journalist. This decision was made after he made inappropriate and disrespectful comments. He not only grabbed his private area, but also made indecent suggestions to his co-host for engaging in sexual activities involving three or four people. As a consequence of his behavior, his television show has been temporarily taken off the air.
Meloni used social media on Friday to say that she and Andrea Giambruno are no longer together. Andrea is also the father of their 7-year-old daughter.
“I am ending my relationship with Andrea Giambruno, which lasted nearly ten years,” Meloni wrote. This comes just two days after a video of his inappropriate behavior during a commercial break of the popular Striscia la Notizia program on Mediaset became widely shared online.
I am grateful to him for the great years we had together, for the challenges we faced, and for giving me the most important person in my life, our daughter Ginevra.
Giambruno’s agent announced on Friday that he and Mediaset decided to stop his show after the scandal. He did not sit in the anchor chair when they recorded the Friday afternoon show. Mediaset said they are looking into the truth about Giambruno’s actions.
In the video, Giambruno talks to a woman on the TV show and asks her if she has a boyfriend. She says she does and that he already asked her that question before. The video was recorded during a break in the show and posted on their social media and website.
Then he asks if she wants to have sex with multiple people. He asks if she is okay with him touching himself while talking to her, as shown in the video from the program. The person helping to host the show is looking down at the desk while talking.
Mediaset, which used to belong to Silvio Berlusconi, a politician who has passed away, has been heavily criticized for showing content that is sexist. Additionally, it frequently shares videos that show what goes on behind the scenes of their popular TV show.
In Meloni’s post on social media, she wrote: “We have been going in different directions for a while now, and it’s time for us to accept that. ” I will protect our past relationship, our friendship, and I will protect a little girl who loves her mom and dad, even though I couldn’t love my own parents.
According to Meloni’s autobiography, her dad had a problem with drugs and went to jail. Several members of her political group, including Infrastructure Minister Matteo Salvini and Interior Minister Antonio Tajani, as well as her own political party Brothers of Italy, posted messages of support expressing empathy for her personal suffering.
She said, “I don’t have anything else to say about this” and asked her critics not to take advantage of her personal problems.
Giambruno made the prime minister feel ashamed by saying that the gang rapes of young women could have been stopped if the girls didn’t drink alcohol.
“He said on his TV show that if you go dancing, you have every right to get drunk. ” The TV show was canceled by Mediaset after a video of his actions became public this week.
“But if you don’t get drunk and pass out, maybe you won’t get into trouble and you’ll be able to find the solution. ”
When asked about Giambruno’s comments on violence against women, Meloni said that people didn’t understand what he meant.
People haven’t understood him correctly. I believe that the press should have the freedom to say what they want, and I don’t control or dictate what they say.
Meloni has faced a lot of criticism for her emphasis on traditional families, even though she herself is not married to Giambruno. She has also been criticized for trying to restrict the rights of same-sex parents by making surrogacy illegal and removing one parent’s name from birth certificates in cities where her political party is in power.
Attempts to contact Meloni’s spokespeople and political party through phone calls, text messages, and emails to get their comments went unanswered. Giambruno did not respond to a message. Mediaset’s public affairs office said that his show was stopped, but didn’t say why.
Giorgia Meloni, the leader of Italy, has said that she and her partner Andrea Giambruno have ended their relationship.
She posted on social media that she and her partner broke up, shortly after a TV show aired inappropriate comments made by the TV host off-camera towards female coworkers.
Ms Meloni said that the relationship, which lasted for almost 10 years, is now over. Our lives have been going in separate ways for a while. It’s time to accept and recognize it.
The couple met in 2015 and now they have a seven-year-old daughter.
In her message, the Italian leader also thanked Giambruno, who is 41 years old, for the amazing years they shared, the challenges they faced, and for giving her the most precious thing in her life, their daughter Ginevra.
She said, “Anyone who tried to harm my family should know that even though a small amount of water might try to damage a rock, a rock will always stay strong while the water is not as strong. ”
Giambruno got in trouble recently when a funny TV show, Striscia La Notizia, aired some comments he made off-camera. In the comments, it seemed like he was trying to woo a female coworker by telling her she is smart. Why didn’t I get to meet you earlier.
On Thursday, more private comments were accidentally aired, where Giambruno asked a coworker if she was single or in a relationship where seeing other people is allowed.
He talks proudly about cheating on his partner, claiming that everyone at his TV company, Mediaset, knows about it. He also makes inappropriate comments about engaging in sexual activities with multiple people.
Giambruno asked if they would like to join their group, a group that works together.
When someone else asks, “What if Striscia has recorded you. “, he said, “What did I say that’s so bad. We were having fun, joking with each other. ”
The journalist hasn’t mentioned anything about the prime minister’s social media post or his comments that were made off-camera.
But he has caused trouble before. A couple of months ago, Giambruno made a statement about a case where a group of people raped someone. He said, “If you choose to go dancing, you have the right to get drunk. ”
But if you don’t drink too much and pass out, maybe you can also prevent getting into certain troubles because that’s when you encounter the danger.
Giorgia Meloni, who is 46, explained that her words were misunderstood and requested that reporters do not blame her for the statements made by a journalist while working.
She strongly believes in traditional Catholic family values and does not support same-sex parenting.
Alessandro Zan, a Member of Parliament from the Democratic Party and supporter of LGBTQ rights, stated that “let families who want to stay together in peace, at the very least. ”
Her friends also used X, which used to be called Twitter, to show that they support her. Matteo Salvini, who is the deputy of the person mentioned, expressed his support, friendship, and encouragement by saying, “I am sending you a big hug. Stay strong and keep moving forward. ”
Antonio Tajani, the foreign minister, told Giorgia that he was sending her a hug.
Mediaset used to belong to the late Silvio Berlusconi, who was accused by his critics of lowering the standards of Italian television with a culture that showed favoritism towards men and promoted sexist behavior.
This is the scary moment when a Ferrari, a Lamborghini, and a camper van crashed into each other in Italy. Sadly, two tourists died in the accident.
On Monday, 2nd October, two vehicles collided with each other in San Giovanni Suergiu, which is located in the Italian province of South Sardinia.
Two Swiss tourists, Melissa Krautli, age 63, and Markus Krautli, age 67, died in the Ferrari.
A video of the accident shows a blue Lamborghini trying to pass a white camper that is driving in front of it.
But a few seconds later, the red Ferrari, driving from behind, also attempts to pass the Lamborghini at the same time, resulting in a collision.
Then, the car was pushed and went underneath the camper. The force was so strong that the camper was tossed and turned upside down. As a result, both roads got blocked.
The Lamborghini crashed and went off the road. There was a camper in the way, blocking both lanes, and the Lamborghini ended up on its side.
The red Ferrari, which is not visible in the video anymore, turned over on the opposite side of the road and caught fire. The couple inside the car got stuck. A man and a woman, both 61 and 62 years old, were hurt while they were traveling in a camper. They were taken to the hospital.
Two individuals who were riding in the Lamborghini also got hurt and had to go to the hospital.
According to local news, the people inside the Ferrari and Lamborghini were taking part in an event called the Sardinia Supercar Tour. This is a fancy car meetup where luxury sports cars come together and drive from Teulada to Olbia.
Some of the things you could do at the event were listen to bagpipe music, watch people dance, shop at a market with many different things to buy, and eat a big Scottish breakfast.
Claudio Barchiesi, who is 20 years old, cycled from his hometown in Barzano, Italy, to Barrow, Suffolk. It took him 15 days to complete the journey, passing through eight different countries along the way.
He wanted to get one euro for each kilometer he rode for charity, but he has received 4,285 euros (£3,678) up until now.
Mr Barchiesi expressed his enjoyment of the journey. The student, who started on 23 August, said his 15-day trip through Europe had been a very enjoyable experience.
Before starting his trip, Mr. Barchiesi didn’t ride his bike much, only about 5km (3. 1 miles) a year.
He traveled through the mountains in Switzerland, along a river in France, and into Germany. Then he went through Luxembourg and Belgium before taking a ferry from The Netherlands to reach England.
Mr Barchiesi, who has an English mother, rode his bicycle for a short distance to reach his grandparents’ house near Bury St Edmunds on Wednesday.
They were standing there with balloons and signs, next to his cousin and uncle.
“He said it was very nice to arrive and see everyone, and it made him feel emotional too. ” Mr Barchiesi said that he was burning around 37,000 calories every day. He mainly ate pain au chocolat and baguettes for his two main meals during the trip.
The college student said the best parts of the trip were the amazing view from the highest point of the Alps on his second day and getting to see the different types of life in European countries.
“He said he would travel 90km (55 miles) each day to have enough time to visit the place for half a day too. ”
“It’s amazing how everything, including the places, people, and languages spoken, can change so much within just 90km. ”
Mr Barchiesi had been staying at churches and hostels for nights. He was excited to have a warm meal and wear clean clothes. He had been cleaning his cycling gear in the shower by stomping on it with shampoo.
He planned to arrive in Suffolk when it was 30 degrees Celsius, but he said it felt just like being at home.
Regarding the amount of money we collected, the economics student expressed their surprise and said, “I didn’t think we would raise this big of a sum. ”
“I achieved my first goal and I never expected to receive assistance and encouragement from so many people. ”
Mr Barchiesi’s grandma, Pat Stoten, said she has never been more proud of anything in her entire life.
Amidst a worsening economic crisis in Tunisia, a widely recognized Tunisian rapper has illicitly relocated to Italy.
Junior Hassen, whose music videos on YouTube have gathered almost 15 million views, embarked on the risky journey across the Mediterranean to Sicily just last week.
As per reports from Mosaique FM, a news outlet, the rapper successfully arrived in Palermo, a city in southern Italy, having undertaken the voyage alongside a group of fellow migrants from his hometown, Sousse.
Footage circulating on social media platforms suggests that Hassen, using his real name Hassen Sassi, traversed the sea with other Tunisian migrants on a small boat. However, the credibility of the video has not been independently verified.
The acute economic crisis in Tunisia has pushed numerous individuals to take drastic measures in the hope of securing better opportunities abroad. Earlier this year, a Tunisian football club suspended its operations after 32 of its players migrated to Europe.
Tunisia has now emerged as a primary departure point for African migrants aiming to cross the Mediterranean and reach Europe. Increasing numbers of Tunisians are also choosing perilous sea voyages, contributing to the world’s deadliest migration route.
“Some are choosing to shelter in place. If you are still in Yellowknife and you are not essential to the emergency response, please evacuate,” Thompson said.
Mr Thomson warned that the highways and airport could be impacted by the wildfires.
In British Columbia, evacuation orders grew from covering 4,000 homes on Friday afternoon to about 15,000 in the space of an hour. Another 20,000 homes are under alert.
Premier of the province, David Eby, said that the situation “evolved rapidly” and officials were braced for “an extremely challenging situation in the days ahead”.
The numbers behind Canada’s worst wildfires season
“This year, we’re facing the worst #BCWildfire season ever,” Mr Eby wrote on Friday in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter. “Given these fast-moving conditions, we are declaring a provincial state of emergency.”
The premier said this would ensure “that we’re in a position to rapidly access any tools we need to support communities”.
He said that more and more people were being evacuated, warning that “emergency orders could include travel restrictions to specific areas if people do not respect our calls to avoid non-essential travel”.
Image caption,One Kelowna resident told the BBC the fires came over the mountainside like an ‘ominous cloud of destruction’
Canada is having its worst wildfire season on record, with at least 1,000 fires burning across the country, according to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre.
Experts say climate change increases the risk of the hot, dry weather that is likely to fuel wildfires.
Extreme and long-lasting heat draws more and more moisture out of the ground, which can provide fuel for fires that can spread at an incredible speed, particularly if winds are strong.
Earlier, West Kelowna fire chief Jason Brolund described the wildfire as “devastating”.
“We fought hard last night to protect our community. We fought 100 years worth of fires all in one night,” he added.
Local officials have already reported “significant structural loss” in the area, including in Trader’s Cove, just north of West Kelowna.
No deaths have been reported so far.
Juliana Loewen lives in Kelowna – a larger twin city of West Kelowna on the eastern shore of Okanagan Lake.
She told the BBC how locals had watched a plume of smoke coming over the mountainside like an “ominous cloud of destruction” and how some on the Trader’s Cove side jumped into the lake as the fire spread and exit routes were blocked.
Her brother and grandmother fled to her house after “the fire jumped very quickly from one tree to an entire area, threatening an entire residential community”.
Local residents are used to the fires because of a “California-style climate” in the area – but the heat, dryness and wind seen in recent days had created the “perfect conditions for a firestorm”, Ms Loewen added.
The airspace around Kelowna International Airport has now been closed to everything other than aerial firefighters.
Survivors have revealed that a shipwreck off the coast of Lampedusa Island, Italy, has tragically claimed the lives of 41 migrants , according to a report from local media.
Four survivors, hailing from Ivory Coast and Guinea, managed to reach Lampedusa and shared their harrowing experience with the Coast Guard.
They revealed that a total of 45 individuals, including three children, embarked from Sfax at 10 am on Thursday. Unfortunately, the boat overturned due to a powerful wave, leading to all passengers being thrown into the sea.
Distressingly, even the fifteen individuals who were equipped with life jackets succumbed to the tragedy.
This incident follows two additional shipwrecks that occurred near Lampedusa over the weekend, resulting in the loss of life, including that of a mother and her infant.
The challenging sea conditions in the Strait of Sicily have hindered rescue efforts by Italian Coast Guard vessels, which have been striving to assist stranded migrants.
Recent days have witnessed an influx of over 2,000 individuals arriving in Lampedusa after being rescued by Italian patrol boats and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) at sea.
Italy is grappling with a significant surge in sea migration, with nearly 92,000 arrivals documented this year as of the latest interior ministry data, compared to over 42,600 during the same period in 2022.
Tragically, the perilous journey from North Africa to Europe has claimed the lives of more than 1,800 individuals this year, underscoring the dangers migrants face.
Italian patrol boats and charitable groups continue their efforts to save lives, having rescued an additional 2,000 individuals who recently reached Lampedusa.
Milena Bertolini has announced her departure as the head coach of Italy after their disappointing group stage exit from the Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
Italy’s journey began with a promising 1-0 victory over Argentina, but they suffered a heavy 5-0 defeat against Sweden, leading to their elimination.
The team’s fate was sealed in a dramatic manner on Wednesday, as South Africa scored a stoppage-time winner to secure a 3-2 victory, leaving Italy in the third position in Group G.
Bertolini, who took charge in 2017, previously led Italy to an impressive run in the 2019 World Cup, reaching the quarterfinals.
However, their early exit in this year’s tournament adds to the disappointment following their performance in Euro 2022, where they finished at the bottom of their group with just one point.
“I leave the national team after so many beautiful and very intense years, which I will always carry with me,” Bertolini said on Sunday in a lengthy statement posted on her Instagram.
“It is not always possible to achieve positive results, but I have no doubts about everyone’s commitment and good intentions.”
A day after Italy’s exit, a statement on Instagram signed by “players of the national team” said the team were “not put in a condition” to succeed. The statement was shared by veteran forwards Cristiana Girelli and Barbara Bonansea, among others.
“Too naive and obvious is the search for a scapegoat,” Bertolini said. “I do not feel any resentment, and I have no reason to feel or look for a culprit.”
Bertolini had said earlier that Italy’s dented confidence after the 5-0 defeat to Sweden likely played a major part in their loss to South Africa. “We were never afraid. But we didn’t feel there was a lot of confidence in us either,” the players’ statement read.
“The national team is made up of a core of 16 Roma and Juventus players. We think it’s fair to ask how a national team made up of this group of players struggles a lot, first at the Euros and now a World Cup.
“The feeling of regret is still strong because we came to this World Cup wanting redemption … We’re sure we could have gotten different results if only we’d been put in the condition to do so.”
The foreign ministry of Italy has urged Ecowas, the regional organisation for West Africa, to extend the deadline set for the coup’s organisers in Niger to restore ousted leader Mohamed Bazoum.
“Diplomacy is the only available option. Antonio Tajani, the foreign minister of Italy, said on Monday, “I hope that the Ecowas ultimatum, which expired last night, will be extended today.
After ignoring the deadline, the junta in Niger closed the nation’s airspace late on Sunday. International flights were either forced to make a diversion or return to their home country as a result.
The army asserted that it thinks two African nations have started making plans to invade Niger but provided no proof.
Since the deadline passed, Ecowas has not released any remarks.
The 2006 World Cup champion spent the previous season with his childhood club Parma, contributing to their fourth-place finish in Serie B and their advancement to the Coppa Italia’s last 16, where they were eliminated by eventualvictors Inter Milan.
Buffon signed an extension with Parma until 2024 in February. However, he has chosen to retire before the start of the 2023-24 season.
During his initial spell with Parma, the Italian goalkeeper secured the UEFA Cup in 1998-99. He later moved to Juventus in July 2001 for a then-record £32 million fee for a goalkeeper.
Official: Gigi Buffon retires ❤️🇮🇹#INDSports Mohammed Kudus | Mac Allister | Bayern Munich | Argentina | Black Stars | Balde | Davies | Lewandowski pic.twitter.com/8SDKfERJGM
Buffon’s time at Juventus was marked by significant triumphs, clinching the Serie A title 10 times in two separate tenures with the Turin-based team and amassing a total of 685 appearances.
He spent the 2018-19 season at Paris Saint-Germain, where he contributed to another league championship.
With 176 international caps earned over his 23-year tenure with the Azzurri, Buffon ranks ninth among male players with the most international appearances.
Coach Milena Bertolini attributed Italy’s surprising exit from the Women’s World Cup to their shaken confidence.
The dented morale played a significant role as South Africa’s 3-2 upset in Wellington brought an end to Italy’s campaign.
Italy’s expectation of progressing required only a draw against their lower-ranked opponents.
However, their failure to capitalize on crucial opportunities, coupled with Thembi Kgatlana’s stoppage-time winning goal, sealed their fate.
While they began with a promising 1-0 victory against Argentina, Italy faced a crushing setback with a 5-0 loss to Sweden in their subsequent match.
This devastating defeat left an enduring impact on the team’s psyche, making it difficult to regain their footing.
“I’m sure that the game against Sweden and also the goals we conceded effected our trust, our confidence, our peace of mind,” she told reporters via a translator.
“It’s clear that today the emotional side was actually important, (a) major factor but this is an aspect that is part of the growth that this team has to make.”
Their early exit marked the latest major disappointment for Italy after Euro 2022, where they finished bottom of their group following a demoralising 5-1 opening defeat by France.
It is a disappointing trajectory for the team four years after they stunningly reached the World Cup quarter-finals, following a two-decade-long absence from the tournament.
But Bertolini insisted there was cause for optimism.
“We’re in a transition period for that historical group of players in 2019 and now we’re actually inserting new players, young players,” she said.
“This is part of our pathway and perhaps in (the) future, in the next competitions, the Italian national team will have young players that are very experienced, have accrued experience.”
In a thrilling encounter, Thembi Kgatlana’s injury-time goal secured a historic place for South Africa in the knockout stages of the Women’s World Cup.
The 3-2 victory against Italy in their final Group G match in Wellington on Wednesday has propelled Banyana into the next stage, where they will face Netherlands.
For coach Des Ellis, this achievement marks an extraordinary moment of history for the country’s sport.
In their third consecutive match, South Africa demonstrated remarkable resilience, a far cry from their debut World Cup appearance four years ago. This time, they successfully sealed the deal.
Italy took an early lead through Arianna Caruso’s penalty, while an own goal by Benedetta Orsi drew South Africa level just past the half-hour mark. Hildah Magaia then gave South Africa the lead, only to see Caruso equalize for Italy from a corner.
However, Thembi Kgatlana’s close-range goal secured the triumph for South Africa, a fitting reward for her impressive performance alongside Magaia.
Italy’s early penalty, resulting from Karabo Dhlamini’s challenge on Chiara Beccari, illustrated South Africa’s occasional lapses in judgment during this tournament. Caruso efficiently converted the penalty.
Robyn Moodaly nearly leveled the score for South Africa with a well-struck shot from the edge of the box, only to be thwarted by the post.
In a stroke of fortune, Italy’s Orsi inadvertently scored an own goal from outside the box, equalizing the game for Banyana.
The goal stemmed from Orsi’s attempt to clear the ball under pressure from Thembi Kgatlana, with goalkeeper Francesca Durante unable to intervene in time.
Both teams faced near-misses, with Italy hitting the post from a header and Banyana clearing the goal-mouth scramble.
Banyana’s goalkeeper, Kaylin Swart,who had faced criticism, made a crucial save when Italy’s Valentina Giacinti was through on goal, ensuring a one-on-one situation did not result in a score.
Banyana seized the lead in the second half with an excellently executed play. Kgatlana’s skillful advance drew the Italian defense, allowing her to deliver a reverse pass that set up Magaia’s clinical finish—a testament to her finishing prowess.
In a captivating match, South Africa’s victory stands as a testament to their determination and growth on the international stage.
Italy were level when Caruso turned the ball in from a corner, even if there was a long VAR check over whether she was offside.
Banyana were headed out at that stage, but they came up with the winning moment as again Magaia was slipped in behind the Italy defence, and this time she passed rather than shot, allowing Kgatlana to make history.
Based on the most recent UK weather forecast, people should be prepared for a soggy week because nine days of rain are expected.
Forecasters have issued a warning to those who are currently spending their summer vacations at home, saying they may experience a washout.
The heatwave that has triggered wildfires and droughts around the world is still going strong, so while the UK faces heavy rain showers, Europe will continue to experience blistering temperatures.
Beginning on Sunday, July 30, Britain can anticipate showers and a chilly wind for nine straight days.
Greece and Italy‘s temperatures will continue to climb in the meanwhile.
The arrival of this weather coincides with the recent summer break for millions of kids from school.
The inclement weather may prevent thousands of families from taking planned excursions to the beaches and national parks in the UK.
The end of August is expected to bring ‘sometimes warmer’ weather, according to the Met Office.
A protracted dry and hot spell, it was noted, seemed improbable.
The driest weather is expected to be in sections of the West and South, while the North and North East will likely have cloudier skies and more frequent showers.
It will frequently be windy, more so than normal, and there may even be significant gusts. Most temperatures will be below average.
In the meantime, flames have been raging around Greece for more than two weeks, including outside the capital Athens and in Rhodes.
Fires have claimed the lives of five persons, including two firefighting pilots. The mercury has surpassed 40C.
The defence minister of Italy referred to his country’s choice to join a major Chinese infrastructure project as “wicked,” as the government considers whether to keep participating in the project.
Guido Crosetto claimed that the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which Italy signed up for under its former government, has not done anything to boost the nation’s exports in an interview with the Corriere della Sera newspaper that was published on Sunday.
Beijing’s international infrastructure investment programme is known as the BRI, a term established by China‘s Xi Jinping in 2013. It was created to recreate China’s Silk Road, which linked Asia with Africa and Europe in order to boost trade and economic development.
Each year, the effort has seen billions of dollars poured into infrastructure projects, including the construction of ports from Sri Lanka to West Africa, the paving of motorways from Papua New Guinea to Kenya, and the provision of power and telecoms infrastructure for people in Latin America and Southeast Asia.
Critics claim that China is using the BRI to increase its global influence.
Italy joined the BRI in 2019 and is the only major Western nation and the only advanced economy from the G7.
“The decision to join the Silk Road was an improvised and wicked act, made by the government of Giuseppe Conte, which resulted in a double negative outcome,” Crosetto told the Corriere della Sera.
“We shipped a lot of oranges to China, whose exports to Italy have increased threefold in the last three years. The most absurd thing at the time was that Paris sold jets to Beijing for tens of billions of dollars without ever signing a treaty.
He stated that the current issue is how Italy may leave the BRI without hurting its relationship with Beijing. Beijing was referred to by him as “a competitor, but also a partner.”
The BRI membership of Italy will end in 2024. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni asserted earlier this year that “good relations” with China could exist independently of the plan.
Meanwhile, Italy, despite a lively start, couldn’t maintain their momentum and will enter their last group match against South Africa with three points.
South Africa and Argentina both have one point each in the group standings.
Sweden’s attacking prowess came to the fore as they created numerous chances and found the net on multiple occasions.
Ilestedt’s partnership with Jonna Andersson during corner kicks proved particularly fruitful for the Swedish team.
By scoring her third goal in the tournament, she now shares the position of top-scorer with Brazil’s Ary Borges.
The game saw Sweden’s cohesive play and clinical finishing, as they capitalized on their opportunities throughout the match.
Blackstenius, though missing a chance to score her second goal, was part of the Swedish domination alongside her teammates.
Finally, Blomqvist’s late goal added to the convincing scoreline asSweden emerged victorious in style.
The Korea government has generously donated Information Technology (IT) equipment to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration in preparation for the 2023 UN Peacekeeping Ministerial Conference, scheduled to be held in Ghana in December.
The equipment, consisting of 20 laptops, 20 printers, and headphones, was received at the ministry’s headquarters in Accra.
This donation is the first batch of a $1 million worth of IT products and vehicles pledged by the Korea government to support the organization of the conference.
Ghana has been selected as the host country for the upcoming conference, making it the first African nation to hold this prestigious event.
The conference aims to strengthen peacekeeping operations and their positive impact on communities, with participation expected from UN member states.
Korean Ambassador to Ghana, Lim Jung-Taek, emphasized his country’s strong support for UN peacekeeping missions and acknowledged Ghana’s significant role and contributions to these operations.
Hence, the Korean government deemed it appropriate to provide support in the form of IT equipment and vehicles.
The ambassador assured that more support, including 12 protocol vehicles and 10 vans, is on its way to Ghana.
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Kwaku Ampratwum-Sarpong, expressed gratitude for Korea’s prompt and valuable partnership in providing logistical support for the conference.
He highlighted the potential logistical challenges and welcomed the assurance of support from Korea and other partners, showcasing the strong friendship between the two nations.
Italy is experiencing multiple types of extreme weather at once, with the north being blasted by fatal storms while the south being burned by sweltering heat.
Italian authorities report that six people have died as a result of harsh weather just on Tuesday.
Intense storms that slammed northern Italy early on Tuesday morning claimed the lives of a mother and a youngster when trees fell on them.
In Sicily’s southern island and the seaside city of Reggio Calabria, flames resulted in the deaths of four elderly people.
After storms caused extensive damage in the area, the fire department in Italy reported that they responded to 400 emergency calls for shattered windows, roof damage, water, and fallen trees.
Tornadoes, powerful winds, and other severe weather have recently wreaked havoc in northern Italy. 100 people were hurt last week when tennis ball-sized hail fell in the Veneto area.
The south is sweating under an extraordinary heat wave as storms affect the north.
On Monday, temperatures in some areas of Sicily reached 47.4 Celsius (117.3 Fahrenheit), coming very close to the continent’s all-time high temperature of 48.8 Celsius, which was established in 2021.
The environment is being prepared for fires by the heat; these fires have already claimed at least one life.
An 88-year-old woman from Sicily perished outside Palermo as one of the four people killed by wildfires, a government spokeswoman told CNN. According to CNN station SkyTG24, the woman, who had major health difficulties, passed away because doctors could not reach her because of the wildfires.
According to the Italian fire service, more than 40 fires broke out across Sicily on Monday night, including one at the Bellolampo landfill that released toxic vapours.
A number of residences in the affected area have been damaged, and more than 1,500 people have been evacuated.
The Falcone Borsellino airport in Palermo was closed for several hours on Tuesday owing to the flames, but it reopened later in the morning and major airline aircraft are now permitted to land and take off with significant delays.
The Palermo airport administration reports that most low-cost planes have been redirected to the airport in Trapani.
According to the Catania airport administration, operation at Sicily’s other main airport has been restricted following a fire in one of the terminals there last week. According to Reuters, Catania has also experienced electricity and water supply interruptions, possibly as a result of the intense heat.
A large fire started in the San Felice harbour in Vieste, forcing the evacuation of 2,000 more guests from three hotels in the Puglia region.
Nello Musumeci, Italy’s minister for civil protection and marine policies, stated on Tuesday that the country is going through extremely challenging circumstances.
“We are currently experiencing one of the most challenging days in recent memory, with storms, tornadoes, and enormous hail in the North and sweltering heat and destructive fires in the Center-South. The firefighters, civil protection managers and volunteers, police forces, forestry workers, and all those who are mobilised in the most difficult circumstances deserve our gratitude, Musumeci said in a message on Twitter. “While we grieve the three victims of these twenty-four hours.
Scientists agree that extreme weather events like heat waves and storms will only increase in frequency and intensity as the human-caused climate catastrophe worsens. According to a research released on Tuesday, the recent heat wave in southern Europe would have been “virtually impossible” without climate change.
Italy is especially vulnerable since it is situated in the Mediterranean, a region that is experiencing rapid climate change.
According to Musumeci, “the climate upheaval that has affected our country imposes a change of pace on all of us.”
Ghana and Italy have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening cooperation and friendship between the two nations, exploring mutual interests for the benefit of their respective populations.
This took place on July 21, 2023 after President Akufo-Addo‘s official 4-day visit to Italy, where he held bilateral discussions with President Sergio Mattarella at the Quirinal Palace in Rome.
President Mattarella praised Ghana’s adherence to democracy, good governance, and the rule of law, making Ghana a beacon of stability in West Africa and Africa as a whole.
President Akufo-Addo highlighted the longstanding strong relations between Ghana and Italy, citing successful Italian companies operating in Ghana, such as Impregilo, which constructed the Akosombo Dam.
The leaders discussed collaboration in Ghana’s pharmaceutical and agro-based industries, and President Akufo-Addo expressed gratitude for Italy’s support in the restructuring of Ghana’s finances through the G20 Common Framework for Debt Treatments, securing a $3 billion Extended Credit Facility from the IMF.
Both leaders stressed the importance of stability for economic development, and President Mattarella pledged Italy’s support to confront the jihadist threat in the Sahel and piracy in the Gulf of Guinea.
“We are anxious that the matter of UN Reform be given priority on the global agenda. It is time to correct the longstanding injustice that the current structure and composition of the UN Security Council represent for the nations of Africa. We are encouraged, though, by the attitudes and sentiments of two (2) leaders of the five (5) Permanent Members of the Security Council, that is President Joe Biden of the United States of America and President Emmanuel Macron of the French Republic. Both of them are the first leaders of their respective countries to call publicly for reform. We look forward to the leaders of the three (3) other Permanent Members also throwing their support behind the reform process,” the Ghanaian President said.
They also emphasized the need for global financial and economic architecture reform to address inequities, with both calling for United Nations Security Council reform, particularly for Africa.
President Akufo-Addo is expected to deliver the keynote address at the 4th ECAM Summit in Rome, discussing healthcare and food safety challenges and opportunities in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East.
In Italy, controversy has been generated by a court decision that exonerated a school caretaker of molesting a student since the incident lasted less than 10 seconds.
The 66-year-old man who was accused of sexual assault was declared not guilty by the judges of the Court of Rome’s Fifth Criminal Section because they determined that the entire incident lasted “about five to ten seconds.”
According to RAI, the girl, who was 17 at the time, testified that the crime occurred in April 2022 when she and a friend were ascending the stairs at school.
She testified that she pulled up her trousers and felt a hand tucked inside them, under her briefs, touching her buttocks, according to the judgment, issued July 6.
During the trial, the janitor admitted that he had touched the student but that he had done it “as a joke.”
The judges accepted the defense’s argument that the act was meant to be a “clumsy joke” without “libidinous intent” towards the girl.
The decision caused outrage among students and sparked a viral trend on social media.
A local union representing high school students, ‘Rete degli Studenti Medi del Lazio,’ said on Facebook that “this is not a joke, there is nothing funny about it.”
“It is unacceptable that we cannot feel protected at school. Once again, the patriarchal system has won, with the tacit support of institutions and politics. This model does not represent us, we will always be on the other side of the fence, for a safe society based on respect,” they said Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Italians have taken to Instagram and TikTok to post videos of themselves touching a sensitive part of their body for 10 seconds, marked by a timer, in an attempt to show that it actually is a fairly long period which can make people uncomfortable and change a person’s life. Accompanying the media are the hashtags #10secondi and #palpatabreve (brief groping).
Among those to take to social media were “The White Lotus” actor Paolo Camilli, who posted a video with the caption “shouldn’t the state protect us?” on his Instagram account.
Star player of the United States Men’s National Team (USMNT),Christian Pulisic has completed a transfer worth £17 million ($22 million) from Chelsea to AC Milan.
Pulisic successfully underwent a medical examination at his new club on Wednesday and subsequently signed a four-year contract that will keep him at San Siro until 2027, with an option to extend for another season.
Joining Milan, Pulisic follows in the footsteps of Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was signed from Chelsea for £15 million ($19 million) earlier this month.
Additionally, Pulisic reunites with former Chelsea teammates Olivier Giroud and Fikayo Tomori at his new club.
Pulisic was originally signed by Chelsea from Borussia Dortmund for £58 million ($75 million) in 2019 and made 146 appearances across various competitions for the London-based club, scoring 26 goals.
However, he struggled for form and fitness with Chelsea, and spent the majority of the 2022-23 campaign on the bench as the Blues slumped to their worst-ever Premier League finish.
Pulisic has now secured a fresh start with Milan, who will be expected to fight for the Serie A title again in 2023-24.
The winger could make his debut for the Rossoneri when they kick off their pre-season tour of the United States with a clash against Real Madrid on July 23.
After a man collapsed and died in Italy, the severe 48°C heatwave known as Cerberus was announced to tourists in Southern Europe.
Yesterday, when temperatures reached beyond 40°C, the 44-year-old was working in the city of Lodi, southeast of Milan, according to Italy24.
The man, a road sign worker, passed away at a hospital after collapsing in front of his coworkers.
Anticyclone weather system Cerberus, which is advancing over the continent from the Sahara desert, is said to have contributed to his death by causing the intense heatwave that was experienced there.
The Italian islands of Sardinia and Sicily are expected to reach a record breaking 48°C.
The general secretary of Fenealuil Milan-Cremona-Lodi-Pavia, Salvatore Cutaia, said: ‘The climate is a cause of accident and also of death. This is a situation that could be repeated given the temperatures.
‘We find ourselves once again having to mourn a 44-year-old worker who has only done his job.’
The anticyclone has been named after the three-headed dog from Greek mythology, who guards the gates to the underworld.
Meteorologist Stefano Rossi told Italian outlet La Stampa: ‘Metaphorically, the three heads indicate the three main climatic zone into which Italy will be divided.’
Thousands of holidaymakers in the Mediterranean are now being urged to take precautions in the extreme heat.
Temperatures are also predicted to rise to 45°C in southern Spain and 44°C in Greece this week.
Conditions will also rise to 42°C in Cyprus, 38°C in Croatia and France will be basking in 37°C heat by the end of this week.
Many British tourists are struggling to handle the heat, with one woman seen collapsing in front of the Colosseum in Rome as temperatures topped 36°C.
Tourists were pictured resting beneath trees while others resorted to using their shirts as parasols to shield themselves from the sun.
But the Met Office have thankfully said the UK will be spared the extreme temperatures.
It is expected the extreme hot weather will last for two weeks.
Met Office spokesperson Grahame Madge said: ‘The heatwave conditions which are affecting parts of south west Europe and north west Africa are expected to extend eastward.
‘Much higher than average temperatures are also likely at times further north across Europe, but these will be shorter lived and less impactful.
‘Communities in the affected regions should expect health impacts and the potential for wildfires.’
Silvio Berlusconi, the former Prime Minister of Italy, known for his ability to rebound from sex scandals and corruption allegations, has passed away at the age of 86.
According to Italian media, Berlusconi died at Milan’s San Raffaele hospital. In April, he had received treatment for a lung infection associated with a previously undisclosed case of chronic leukemia.
Berlusconi, a charismatic billionaire media mogul, initially assumed office in 1994 and served as the head of four governments until 2011.
He led the center-right Forza Italia party, which later formed a coalition with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni following the September elections. During these elections, Berlusconi himself was elected to Italy’s upper house, the Senate.
Berlusconi’s political career was marked by controversies and legal battles, but he remained a prominent figure in Italian politics for several decades. His passing marks the end of an era in Italian politics, leaving behind a complex and influential legacy.
In February, a wooden boat carrying up to 180 people broke apart against sharp rocks, killing at least 94 people, among them a newborn and numerous youngsters.
On the beach of Steccato di Cutro, a little seaside community on Calabria’s eastern coast that serves as the tip of Italy’s boot, the boat’s wreckage washed ashore.
But moments before, Italy’s Guardia di Finanza, or financial police, which also serves borders and customs, was dispatched to intercept the crowded boat.
The European Border and Coast Guard Agency, commonly known as Frontex, first spotted the vessel in the Ionian Sea at about 10:35pm on February 25 evening.
Agency officials alerted the Italian authorities to it, stressing that no one appeared to have a life vest on – the Guardia di Finanza sent out two patrols to ‘intercept’ it.
At 4am, after the force called off the search due to bad weather, the ship was torn apart, the Milan-based Corriere della Sera newspaper and Sky TG24 reported.
At least 94 people died (Picture: EPA)Members of Italy’s customs police, Guardia di Finanza, have been brought in for questioning (Picture: Getty Images Europe)
The death toll grew – and fast – as bodies of people from Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan crossing from Turkey washed up ashore over the next few days.
More are months on still missing.
According to Corriere della Sera, citing a search warrant issued by prosecutors, investigators have found ‘significant anomalies’ in a logbook for one of the motorboats dispatched.
Some pages were not written when the border officers were conducting a search but hours later instead – by then, the shipwreck was headline news.
The motorboat, identified as V5006, was actually at the port in Crotone, Calabria, at the time the log said it was out at sea searching for the migrants.
Three personnel have been brought in, though it is unclear whether they were involved in the search or working in the port giving orders.
Sky TG24 reported that three other people are being investigated, though their names had been blacked out in the warrant.
In the course of Italy’s investigation, four men have been arrested on suspicion of being people smugglers among the 80 survivors.
The boat departed from Cesme, a small port west of Izmir, four days before the shipwreck.
The Guardia di Finanza and Frontext have been approached for comment.
After a tourist boat sank on Sunday night in northern Italy‘s Lake Maggiore, four people’s bodies have been found there, according to the country’s fire department.
The last body was found around 8 a.m. local time (2 a.m. ET), and as of today, search and rescue efforts have been completed, according to a tweet from the fire department Vigili del Fuoco.
Two Italian citizens, one Israeli citizen, and one Russian citizen were among the victims, according to a report from CNN affiliate Sky Tg24, which cited the district attorney. It was two males and two women that died.
The 16-meter (52-foot) houseboat had been carrying 24 people when it encountered difficulty during a “violent storm” and capsized shortly after 7:30 p.m. local time (1:30 p.m. ET) on Sunday, Sky Tg24 reported.
There were 22 tourists on board, including British passengers, and two crew members, according to Sky Tg24.
Twenty people were rescued after the boat capsized, the fire and rescue service said.
Some of the 20 survivors reportedly managed to swim to the shore, according to Sky Tg24, adding that, although five were taken to the hospital, no survivors had sustained any serious injuries.
Divers and a helicopter were used as part of the search and rescue operation, according to the fire and rescue service.
Among those killed was the skipper of the boat’s girlfriend, while one of the bodies was found within the wreckage of the boat, roughly 15 meters (49 feet) below water, Sky Tg24 added.
An operation is now underway to recover the sunken boat.
A UK Foreign Commonwealth Development Office spokesperson told CNN, “we are in contact with local authorities in Italy after a boat accident and are ready to provide consular assistance to any British nationals involved.”
Lake Maggiore is a popular destination for tourists and is shared by Italy and Switzerland.
Passengers had been celebrating a birthday party when the boat, traveling between the Italian towns of Lisanza and Dormelletto, capsized, according to Sky Tg24.
Authorities are concerned that the number of fatalities could go up since nine people have died in recent days.
Dramatic images depict rescuers struggling to get victims and animals out of the sea.
Reaching individuals who couldn’t leave their homes due to the flooding required the use of lifeboats.
Residents in the north of Italy have been told to get to higher ground amid fears rain-swollen rivers will again burst their banks.
The warning from officials comes after flooding killed at least eight people, forced the evacuation of 5,000 and suspended some train services.
Heavy rains and floods also forced Formula One to cancel this weekend’s Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix to not overtax emergency crews already stretched thin in responding to the emergency.
Days of rainstorms stretched across a swath of northern Italy and the Balkans, where ‘apocalyptic’ floods, landslides and evacuations were also reported in Croatia, Bosnia and Slovenia.
A church is flooded with water after heavy rains hit Italy’s Emilia Romagna region, in Castel Bolognese,(Picture: Reuters)Firefighters evacuate a terrified dog from a flooded house in the city of Faenza (Picture: Reuters)‘Apocalyptic’ floods have destroyed homes and transformed roads into rivers (Picture: Max Cavallari/ANSA via ZUMA Press/Shutterstock)The regions impacted recently had faced droughts, which meant the soil was too dry to absorb the sudden lashings of rain (Picture: AP)
The president of Emilia-Romagna, Stefano Bonaccini, said many people remain unaccounted for.
Italian civil protection minister Nello Musemeci called for a new nationwide hydraulic engineering plan to protect communities from future floods and landslides.
At a briefing to reporters, he said an average of 200mm of rain had fallen in 36 hours in the region.
Some areas registered 500mm in the same period.
‘If you consider that this region averages 1,000mm of rain in a year, you realise the impact that these rains have had in these hours,’ Mr Musemeci said.
Klaudia Cepa cries while standing in her flood affected house in Faenza (Picture: Reuters)
Citing the November landslide in Ischia, which killed a dozen people, Mr Musemeci said Italy is increasingly experiencing Africa-style tropical weather.
Long periods of drought are frequently punctuated by intense rainfall that can’t be absorbed by the soil.
He continued: ‘Nothing will ever be the same again … and what has happened in these hours is evidence of that.
‘When soil remains dry for a long time, instead of increasing its absorption capacity, it ends up cementing and allowing rainfall to continue flowing over the surface and causing absolutely unimaginable damage.’
Mr Museumeci said that 5,000 people had been evacuated, 50,000 were without electricity, and more than 100,000 were without mobile phone or landline use.
The deputy chief of the Civil Protection agency, Titti Postiglione, said rescue operations for those needing emergency evacuations were particularly difficult.
Roads and routes have been flooded and phone service disrupted by the floods.
Speaking on Sky TG24, Ms Postiglione said the affected flood zone covered a broad swath of four provinces which, until the heavy rains, had been parched by a prolonged drought.
Some regional train routes remained suspended on Wednesday around Bologna and Ravenna, with severe delays elsewhere, the Italian state railway said.
Premier Giorgia Meloni, who was traveling to the G7 meeting in Japan, said the government is monitoring the situation and prepared to approve emergency aid.
The mayor of the town of Bosanska Krupa in Bosnia said hundreds of homes had been flooded.
Dozens of landslides have also been reported in eastern Slovenia, many of which endangered homes and infrastructure.
In Croatia, hundreds of soldiers and rescue teams continued bringing food and other necessities to people in flood-hit areas who have been isolated in their homes.
